Way to Go! Garden City, Jericho students win Congressional App Challenge
Jericho High School sophomore Arnav Hak. Credit: Arnav Hak
Students from Garden City and Jericho high schools were the winners in a national competition that challenged them to create original apps.
Jericho High School sophomore Arnav Hak and Garden City High School freshman James Nagler were among approximately 225 winners nationwide in the 2020 Congressional App Challenge, an initiative of the Congressional Internet Caucus and the U.S. House of Representatives. They were named winners for New York's 3rd and 4th congressional districts, respectively, in February.
Hak's app, titled Food Distributor, aims to assist food businesses in arranging for the pickup of excess food with local shelters.
"I wanted to create an app that would allow for food to be recycled and be fresher for those that need it," Hak said.
Nagler's app, called Mineola Menu, allows students to input their lunch choice every day as a way to cut back on using paper for orders. It is currently being used at Jackson Avenue Elementary School in the Mineola School District, where Nagler's father, Michael, serves as superintendent.
"I believe that it is the future, and it's a way for me to express my creativity," Nagler said of technology.
Winners will have their apps displayed for one year at the U.S. Capitol and received Amazon Web Services credits as well as gift cards from Southwest Airlines.
James Nagler, a freshman at Garden City High School, was a winner in the 2020 Congressional App Challenge. Credit: Garden City School District
— MICHAEL R. EBERT
Michael R. Ebert is an education researcher and has worked for Newsday in various capacities since 2003. He was part of an 11-person team named as 2008 Pulitzer Prize finalists for investigative coverage of the LIRR's platform safety issues.
